Elders Letter
James Russell, Elder
Dear Scattered Brethren and Co-Workers;
Its never easy swimming up stream, but with your sacrifices and prayers for truth to be taught to a dying World, that challenge is being met. As you know Satan has slipped into God's church's un-noticed with his counterfeit oral calendar, causing God's House to be polluted and corrupted. The book of Ezekiel makes reference to this when Israel was in the wilderness "Because they [Israel] despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, [ appointed times ] but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them(Ezek 20:16-19).
You ask? Why am I being reminded of this? The letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 are relevant at this point because we live during the time of the seventh church era. We read of people described as "neither cold nor hot." This seems to be the prevailing attitude in the World culture today, denial and drift. As called individuals we deny by our actions that we must deal with the problem. It matters not whether the problem is ECONOMY, EDUCATION, DISEASE, DIVORCE OR SYNCRETISM, someone else will solve the problem.
That is the way a Laodicean would react. Nothing will change until each individual acts to conform themselves to God's thinking!
The Laodicean lacks wholehearted devotion to Christ, resulting in a lack of commitment. The lack of commitment is caused by living by sight. They may look respectable, but their religion is most likely sentimental, perhaps even emotional. Spiritually, he or she is flabby and anemic. Notice that Christ describes a Laodicean as focused on things they can see. Their mind is seeking their own material needs, showing God by their actions that they need nothing spiritual from Christ. Could they be leaving that to others, denying they may have problems? They may say to them self, there is nothing wrong with me I'm in the church! I'll leave that to the ministry. That's their job. God expects His Word to fill us with a sense of urgency and hope enabling us not only to endure, but also to overcome while we look for our redemption. Listen to what Christ said in the book of Luke, "....Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away"(Luke 21:29-33).
As God's chosen few, we have a responsibility to warn of impending danger. If we are God's future Kings and Priest, then we need to be buying His oil of TRUTH, today! Don't allow yourself to become detracted from the goal God has set out for us. Be personally responsible for your salvation. Seek what can be bought from God.
Obeying God has to be our top priority, just reading the Bible and knowing where every verse is located in the God's Word is not going to put our name in the "Book of remembrance." It's practicing and acting upon what we read that will allow our name to be written in the Book of Life.
As God's servants working in His office we want to thank you for being there to help pray and finance God's truth to be published and taught. Earnest study to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good"(1 Thess5:21), has proven to us the deceitful error that has been found in the ORAL Hebrew calendar and the watering down of God's doctrines! Our prayers are for you and hope you have been experiencing growth in these troubled times.
Your office staff humbly and deeply appreciate your loyal prayers, financial support, and dedication in standing firm with us for God's Truth!
Church of God, In Truth
Church of God, in Truth: P.O. Box 1120 Kimberling City; MO 65686. Tel: 417-338-0033 / Fax 417-338-0031
Spanish: Martin Martinez; Deacon: Tel: 787-786-5856 E-Mail: marty@ucint.com
|